LOST cause
by sarahwinchester
Summary: With a sarcastic Sawyer stuck on an island with the adventurous Ryliegh OFC , what will happen? Will they ever find help? And how will the "others" interrupt their relations with their fellow survivors?
1. Chapter 1

"The Others!" I screamed, Jack immediately grabbing my hand and pulling me through the jungle.

We'd escaped that time, but there was no telling that we'd better not chance it next time. Jack and I had been out scouting for water when we were spotted. I don't know why, but for some reason they let us get away.

Give or take a few minutes, about an hour later, I was standing on the beach staring out into the vastness of the ocean. It was beautiful, but it had now become a barren wasteland to us. Nothing ever flew over it, and nothing ever sailed within our view of it.

I heard a commotion behind me; Sawyer and Kate on the ground in his shelter. She was after that case they'd brought back from the jungle. I walked over to them.

"Sawyer, if it's Kate's... why don't y'just give it to 'er?"

Kate stood up in a hurry, scowling at Sawyer who was in a very vulnerable position on the ground. He laced his fingers behind his head and smirked up at me, tilting his head to the side.

"Well, Mrs. Ghandi; I don't believe it is hers... found that Marshall's badge—I'd say it's his and Kate here wants what's in it," he said in his southern accent.

"Brilliant deduction, genius," I retorted.

"It's mine," Kate said firmly.

"Well, Freckles, where's the key?" Sawyer asked.

I shook my head, and rolled my eyes. Kate did the same and walked away. I started to turn around when I was halted by Sawyer's voice.

"Hold it, Daisy Duke."

I stopped in my tracks, and looked down at my cut off jean shorts, and black men's t-shirt. I turned around and flipped my hair, half smirking at Sawyer who was now sitting up, and staring at me with lust in his eyes. He squinted from the sun.

"Whatd'ya want?" I asked patiently.

"Too many answers to that question, sweetheart. What I wanna know is why yer stickin' up fer Freckles all of a sudden. Y'know she's doin' the cha-cha with the Doc." He smirked again.

I kneeled in front of him, playing with the sand. "She can do what she wants with Jacko. I got my eyes on someone else," I said cockily with a wink, then got up and walked towards the make-shift water basin. I left Sawyer to ponder to his self.

Later on that evening, Locke and Boone had come back with a boar, which we cooked up and ate in small but practical portions in order to save our rations. After I'd eaten, I sat staring into the flame of my little fire. Sayid came and sat next to me, and explained about the transceiver business. I agreed to accompany him and Shannon the next day. They were going up the mountain to see if they could get a signal from higher ground.

When Sayid had gotten up, I glanced back as I heard a twig snap in the jungle behind me. Sawyer came out, buttoning his pants. I nodded at him in acknowledgement, and turned back to my fire, poking at it with a stick. A few moments later, Sawyer had sat next to me. He leaned forward and drew an S in the sand, and then an A... a W. Then he stopped. He looked up at me suddenly, "So you got your eye on our torturer, eh?" he asked patting his bicep where Sayid had stabbed him the previous week in order to get Shannon's medication, which he didn't even have.

I shook my head, and sat in silence for a moment. I rolled up his sleeve to look at his healing stab wound, and said "No Sawyer. I don't. But if you'd open yer eyes, you'd know." I gently kissed his wound, and got up to greet Claire who was walking by my tent. I walked with her to get a bottle of water. I never looked back, but I knew Sawyer was left perplexed again.


	2. Chapter 2

The next day, I was getting ready to accompany Sayid and Shannon to higher ground when Boone walked up to me.

"I wanna go with you guys. My sister's going and—"

"Boone, I think you should stay here. We had pork for breakfast, and the boar you guys got yesterday isn't enough for tonight. I think you and Locke should go hunt another one. You're good at it," I said with a smile and walked away to fill my water bottle.

I spotted Sawyer out sitting on some wreckage from the plane reading a book. Jack and Kate were sitting together on a log talking and laughing in front of a fire-pit. Charlie was with Claire talking in her shelter. Jin and Sun were keeping to themselves and speaking in Korean in the sand in front of their shelter. I looked to Jack and Kate and felt a little bit of jealousy for just a second. I contorted my face, and stared into the water basin as I filled my bottle. Sayid came up and startled me. He asked if I was ready. I thought for a moment as my water bottle filled to the brim.

"Actually I think we should bring one more pers—"

"The con-man yes?" Sayid asked cutting me off, sounding a little frustrated.

I exhaled and nodded as I glanced at Sawyer, "He's the only one with a gun, and he's good protection."

Sayid just nodded with a weak smile. "When you've convinced him to come along, I'll be waiting by the infirmary."

I sighed as I looked back at Sawyer. He looked around and then caught me staring his way. My cheeks flushed, and I looked away. He got up, closed his book, removed his reading glasses, and started towards me. I smirked as he approached me.

"Howdy, smiley," he greeted. "So tell me; who? Boone? Jin maybe? Don't even tell me it's Jaba the Hut..."

I parted my lips in disbelief. "You know, Sawyer… For a con-man—you ain't so smart... Now do you wanna come along and protect me or what?"

"Protect you from what?" Jack asked as he came up next to Sawyer and I; he took a sip of his water.

"Well, Doc, jungle monsters and tropic polar bears I s'pose." Sawyer said.

"I'm goin' with Sayid and Shannon up the mountain to see if they can get a signal for the transceiver."

"Well, Sayid can protect you; he knows what he's doing." Jack assured.

I looked up to Sawyer, "Well it never hurt to have some extra help around." I winked and then looked up to Jack. They both towered at least 8 inches taller than me.

I could see Jack's eyes light with a jealous panic. "Well, that's true. Maybe that is a good idea," he said, and nodded then walked away.

I looked to Sawyer. "Well?"

"Well, sure sweet-cheeks. Don't' see why not," he said with a seductive smile. He went to go get his stuff from his tent.

Later on, halfway up the mountain, Saying and Shannon were about 50 yards ahead of us. Sawyer was just dripping with anticipation.

"Who is it Daisy?" he asked suddenly and impatiently.

"I'm sorry?" I asked as I looked back at him and carefully stepped over a rock.

"I'm not seein' who yer-"

I cut him off when I realized what he was talking about, "Sawyer, if it were any more obvious it would slap you in the face, now in the name of Dixie, please I'm giving you permission to be conceited right now."

"Sweetheart, the only guy I got left to think of is me—an' if it ain't me then yer pushin' me t'think you got yer eyes on the likes of another wom—"

"It's not a woman Sawyer."

He just smiled and stopped walking as I moved further ahead. I didn't look back, but I just smiled to myself. Not a work was spoken the rest of the way, but he did catch up to me and we walked side by side.

When we'd gotten to the top of the mountain, we finally had a signal, and the language it sounded like was French. Shannon had told Sayid that when she lived in France for a couple of years, she picked up a bit on the language. She was able to translate some of the message. Unfortunately, all we got were cries for help that had been playing on a loop for 16 years... Either nobody had ever turned the damn thing off, or someone had been on that island for 16 years...

It was starting to get dark out before we could get down the mountain and into the jungle again, so we decided to make a camp on the hillside. Sawyer and Sayid gathered some firewood, and Shannon sat in the grass hugging her knees and looking pathetic. I went to pick some fruit from a tree while I could still see. When I'd gotten back, Sawyer had the fire going. Shannon and Sayid were looking at the view from where we were camping. I sat down and watched Sawyer fuel the fire. As I was looking down at my hiking boots enjoying the warmth of the fire, Sawyer sat down next to me, staring.

I looked up at him, "Whatcha y'lookin' at?" I asked.

"You," he said.

"Why?"

"Tryna figure y'out, Daisy." He smirked.

"Ain't gonna happen." I smiled down at my shoes again.

He moved closer to me, and I felt my heart skip.

"You know, Daisy—"

"My name's Ryleigh." I laughed.

"Well, Ryleigh... if it weren't f'you on this damned rock," he gestured to everything around us. "I'd be pretty alone out here."

I blushed and looked up to him, "Us southern folk gotta stick together."

He laughed and pulled me into a hug, and kinda gave me a noogie.


	3. Chapter 3

After our little bonding moment, we all sat around the fire. Sayid tried to figure out what could be going on with the message. I kept my eyes on Sawyer as he held a piece of paper in front of him, fingering the edges with a sort of blank expression on his face. I eased my way over to him, and put my hand on his shoulder.

"Sawyer?" I asked softly.

He looked back at me, and folded the letter once more than it already had been. I shook my head as if to try to understand.

"Don't worry about it, Daisy," he said with a sickeningly fake smile.

"Awe, come on. Obviously if you keep pulling it out there's gotta be somethin'? What—you in love back home?" I teased.

"You really wanna know what it is?" he asked kind of frustrated.

"Sawyer, I-"

"Here, READ IT. OUT LOUD," he said, forcefully putting the letter, open, in my hands.

I looked up to him, "No I ca—"

"READ IT," he roared.

I slowly looked over the letter.

"Dear Mr. Sawyer," I started. I looked up to him, then back down. "You don't know who I am but I know who you are," I said shakily. "I know what you done. You had sex with my mother and then you stole all my dad's money away." I stopped.

"Don't stop now!" he said.

I felt the tears unfurling in my eyes. "So he got angry and he killed my mother and then he killed himself too. All I know is your name." I started leaking tears down my face. "But one of these days I'm going to find you, and I'm going to give you this letter so you remember what you done to me. You killed my parents Mr. Sawyer."

I was crying, and he snatched the letter from me, and threw it down on the ground along with its envelope, and stormed off into the dark. I wanted to stop him. Part of me felt pity for him, but part of me didn't believe he would ever do that. Part of me just wanted to take him in my arms and never let go.

I picked up the letter and closed it in its envelope. It was obviously the only thing he had left that meant something to him. I sat there and studied it. America's Bicentennial? Knoxville, TN? He was only maybe nine years old… That letter couldn't have been FOR him… So it was FROM him…

I held my arms over my head as I knelt in the dirt next to our fire. Sayid and Shannon kept their distance and just watched. The tears streamed down. When I looked up through, Sawyer was standing there glaring down at me.

I looked down at the dirt as I handed him the letter. He took it gently, and started to walk off again towards the jungle. I watched him until he reached the tree line. Then, I darted up and ran after him.

"Sawyer! Please!" I shouted. He stopped, annoyed but calmly, and turned around to face me.

"I'm sorry," I said. "I looked at that envelope over and over… America's bicentennial was in 76. You were only a kid, 9 maybe. This letter wasn't to you it was from you... wasn't it? You're name isn't Sawyer is it..?"

He just stood there and looked at me in the dark. He sighed and slowly started back towards the fire. "It was his name," he began. He continued to explain. "I became the man I wanted to kill."

We just stared into the fire together. His gaze was as blank as a sheet of printer paper. After a while, I started to rub his shoulder, but he stopped me. "Don't you feel sorry f'me."

I looked up at him, about to give up hope, but then he started to shake his head and look at me.

"You know, Daisy... I got a feelin' we got a connection… but just cause I tol' you all this... it don't mean you know me. I got my reasons for-"

I cut him off, "You don' have to explain yourself to me Sawyer… not if you don't feel comfortable," I said and then slid down off the log onto the dirt and rest my head against it.


	4. Chapter 4

It was late, and it had been dark out for a few hours now which meant that it was at least 10 or 11. I was sitting next to Sawyer who had slid off the log on the dirt next to me. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw him staring at me, and when I looked up at him he smiled weakly.

"You know Daisy, I'm actually kinda happy I got stuck on this rock…"

"Why in hell would you be happy?" I asked with a slight laugh.

"Well, for one thang. I can't be Sawyer here. That's for sure and for certain."

I just smiled as he snaked his arm around me, and held a stick into the fire with his other hand. It had been a long night, and I was getting tired.

"Sawyer, we should think about gettin' some rest... we got a long way back tomorrow…"

He agreed and scooted over onto the grass. He closed his eyes and I watched him. His chest rose and fell slowly. He was peaceful like the night sky above him, and for a moment I could see myself crawling up to him and snuggling in his arms, but I didn't. I just rolled over and rest my head on the log, so I was staring at the open part of the hillside.

By early morning, I was awake. The sun was rising and I quietly got up and reached for my pack. I grabbed a couple mangos and my knife, and started peeling them. When I'd gotten them peeled, the sun was glistening on the dew of the grass, which had soaked my pants in the night. It sparkled like someone had sprinkled glitter all amongst the grass. I crouched next to Sawyer and brushed the hair that had fallen in his face behind his ears. He stirred and his eyes fluttered open and I held the mango out in front of him. He looked at me, and then at the mango, and back to me again. A smile grew across his mouth, and he began to sit up. "Mornin' belle."

I couldn't help but smile. He took the mango from me, and bit into it; the juice dripped down his back-hand. He looked around, seeing the morning sun and dew.

"We should wake them up and get goin'," I suggested.

"Whats the rush, sunshine?" he asked in his sweet southern drawl.

"I'd like t'get a real meal in. Maybe Boone an' Locke caught another boar." I smiled.

"Yeah; all this fruity stuffs makin' me feel like less a man." He looked at the mango, threw it to the side, and hopped up. He stood from kneeling and he towered over me. He stretched, his shirt rising above his pant line. I stared for a moment, and then looked away.

Sawyer scratched the back of his head and started to gather his things. I walked over and started to wake Sayid and Shannon.

When we'd gotten back to the beach it was about 1. Sawyer was reluctant to find that something had destroyed his tent.

"Boar hooves," I said. "Looks like just one."

Sawyer looked around and shook his head in anger.

"You want some help?" I asked as he started to organize some stuff.

"No..." he mumbled. "I'll get it…"

I smiled weakly and walked away and left him to his business. I asked around to see if anyone knew anything about Sawyer's tent. Finally I'd seen Hurley had moved his fishing to Sawyer's side of the beach. I walked up to him.

"Hurley," I called as I kicked off my boots, and walked towards him in the sand.

"Yo," he said, glancing back.

"Did you... see a boar near Sawyer's tent..?" I asked awkwardly.

"Uhm, actually... come to think of it dude, there was a piglet in there, and then a big one came and chased them out, and then like he started to tear the place apart..." he said.

I sighed, "Oh... thanks Hurley..."

"We would have tried to like... get it away, but like it looked pretty angry."

"It's okay Hurley... he's just a little... confused." I laughed.

He nodded and went back to his fishing. I walked back to Sawyer and told him what Hurley had told me. He shook his head and scowled and just continued about his cleaning.


End file.
